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Gray Squirrel

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Gray Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis

Want to learn how to notice and describe details? Then make sure you can clearly describe the following to us:

1) How does a squirrel go up a tree?

2) How does it come back down?

3) How do you think it is able to come down a tree that way?

4) How many different gaits do squirrels have and how do they differ?

A gait is a pattern of locomotion -- we walk, and run, dogs and horses walk, trot and gallop. What about squirrels?

Our gray squirrels breed twice a year so you may see male-male and male-female interactions related to reproduction. How will you know when you do? At least you can easily tell the sexes apart, right? Their nests are made of leaves. Where do they get their leaves from and how do the transport them to the nest site?

Squirrels send out lots of information with the noises they make and also with their tails. See if you can break the code and tell us what the subtle differences in sound and motion are and what they mean.

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